Throughout the province of Ontario law enforcement officers are on the lookout for drunk drivers. When someone is suspected of engaging in engaging in the activity they may be pulled over and arrested. According to a sergeant with the OPP, this year the number of impaired driving-related charges is up. Throughout the Greater Toronto Area this year, there have been approximately 17 percent more arrests.
This number was likely bolstered by the arrests made over Thanksgiving weekend. In the course of Operation Impact, the safety initiative in place over that weekend, the OPP said it arrested a total of 83 people for impaired driving.
It is possible that some of the people arrested in the safety blitz have never dealt with the criminal justice system. This can make a stressful situation that much harder to face. The fear of the unknown could prompt people to take the path of least resistance and approach the matter in a way that is not in their best interest.
People who have been accused of drunk driving should know that depending on the circumstances surrounding the arrest they may be able to either minimize or completely avoid penalties. In some situations a criminal defence lawyer may be able to get charges dismissed. When that isn't possible, the charges could be reduced. In situations where someone is found guilty, the severity of the consequences might be reduced.
As is the case with any criminal charge the sooner the accused contacts a criminal defence lawyer, the sooner they can begin to work on a defence.